Altoona routs short-handed Tyrone in wrestling

February 7, 2014

Tyrone usually has 10 wrestlers in its lineup, but when the Golden Eagles showed up at the AAHS Fieldhouse to take on Altoona with seven guys, the writing was on the wall.

And the writing was done very quickly.

All of the contested bouts ended in pins - with Altoona getting four and Tyrone notching three - and the Lions picked up six forfeit wins (neither team had a 285-pounder) to win, 60-18, in only 29 minutes.

The Eagles were without three starters for unspecified reasons.

"When you come in with seven forfeits, you kind of expect that," Altoona coach Joel Gilbert said. "Where they had wrestlers, there were some of our best wrestlers."

"Actually, this is pretty much what I expected," Tyrone coach Blair Packer said after his team dropped to 0-10. "With what we got, I thought the kids wrestled well."

After the no contest at 285, Altoona freshman Cole Manley (23-5), the area's second-ranked 106-pounder, built a 12-0 lead on Corey Hunter before putting him on his back with a low leg cradle and pinning him in 5:11.

At 113, Altoona's Hunter Hileman pinned Brian Gunter in 54 seconds, and teammates Dan Querry and Jerrell Kephart won by forfeit at 120 and 126, respectively.

Tyrone got its first win when 132-pounder Aleic Hunter, up 4-0, reversed Jay Rimbeck to his back and pinned him in 2:39.

Tyrone's Ty Snyder and Altoona's Kyler Bender were scoreless for most of the 138-pound bout, but Snyder headlocked Bender to his back with 15 seconds left and got the pin just before the final buzzer.

"He's been coming along," Packer said. "He's another one who has a little more fight in him, and it's starting to show."

After Altoona's Zack Reidell (145) and Trenton Boutiller (152) won by forfeit, Gilbert moved star 152-pounder D.J. Hollingshead (26-2) up to 160. Hollingshead charged out to a 13-4 first-period lead on Jacob Damon before taking Damon down to his back.

The end came in 1:46, giving the Lions (6-10) a 42-12 lead.

"We're just trying to get D.J. as many matches as possible," Gilbert said. "He has some things he needs to work on and improve. We know teams are trying to shuffle away from him as best they can, but he needs to work on improvement on his feet and improvement on the mat.

"With the best competition in the state, you're going to have to be at your best to beat those individuals."

Altoona's Brinton Simington won by forfeit at 170, and teammate Michael Doucette pinned Darren Reese in 1:23 at 182.

"Mike did a nice job out there," Gilbert said. "He's gradually gotten better this year as a sophomore. He went out and wrestled pretty physical, worked for the fall and we're real happy with his progress."

Tyrone's Jared Beckwith (24-1), the area's top-ranked 195-pounder, followed 42-second pin of Nate Buckrop. It was the last contested bout before Altoona's Jacob Turner won by forfeit at 220.

It was likely the last dual meet for Altoona before the District 6 Class AAA Tournament. Packer will probably have more wrestlers for the Eagles' final meet against Central on Monday at home.

"This has been one year for the books, I'll tell you," Packer said. "It's one thing after another."